Healing Church
The Church that heals.
Jesus Christ was a healer. He healed people of physical and mental ailments and we too, following Christ, are called to heal the sick and suffering. The church is also called a hospital for the soul. Mental illness is particularly on the rise in our society. This is due to the fact that in modern industrial society we are increasingly distancing ourselves from nature and the seasons, but also from a self-determined life. In school and in the world of work, we are moulded into functioning resources. Johann Hari describes in his much acclaimed book "Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions" that the causes of depression and anxiety are not due to an imbalance in the neurotransmitters, but because we no longer lead a self-determined life connected to nature. The Celtic Church and the Forest Church in particular stand for a connection to nature and counteract this development. The church itself contains many anti-depressive elements, e.g. coming together in a community, attunement to the seasons, singing, forgiveness of sins (depression is often accompanied by self-reproach), Faith and hope to overcome hopelessness (another symptom of depression), pilgrimage and even incense has been proven to have an anti-depressive effect. We believe that every illness also has psychosomatic parts and it is here that the Church is able to help as Jesus said that your faith heals you.
Of course, no community is perfect and human weaknesses have also caused suffering, but this is not the aim of the Church.
Even with the healthiest lifestyle, old age, illness and death cannot be averted; they are part of human nature. However, a healthy way of life helps to avoid and alleviate illness. If the disease is there, it follows its own laws and must be treated accordingly. Medical treatment must first and foremost work. We prefer natural remedies to chemical ones, but relying on an ineffective medicine is a self-deception to beware of. Body, mind and soul form a unity. The Celtic peoples always associated the administration of a medicine or treatment with a blessing and a supplication. Doctors speak of a placebo effect, which has been scientifically proven and should therefore not be underestimated. Even the white doctor's coat and the stethoscope, even if not used, have this effect. The Celts relied on the healing effect of water and healing springs. Whether with baths or drinking healing water, a supplication was always associated with it. In Celtic mythology, great healers were described who cured all kinds of illnesses with medicinal herbs (phytotherapy) and prostheses. These include the Celtic gods Dian Cecht, Miach, Airmed, Sirona and Saint Brigid. In Germany, it was Saint Hildegard von Bingen, who is still appreciated for her healing art today.
As a church we cannot replace a doctor or psychotherapist. We recommend that you get vaccinated against Corona and other diseases, unless there is an urgent medical reason not to do so. Our offer as a church, we hope and believe, has a preventive effect and accompanies medical treatment. As with all life situations, one should inform oneself thoroughly, also with regard to medical treatment, but ultimately we are convinced that doctors are very well trained and conscientiously pursue their profession, so that we can place our trust in them. If there are any specific doubts, you still have the option of seeking a second medical opinion.
Health through nature connectedness
A life that is not close to nature and self-determined can lead to mental and physical illnesses. This realisation is the first step in shaping our lives in such a way that we once again live more in harmony with nature and the seasons, and furthermore regain more control over our lives. We are guided by the eight Celtic festivals in the cycle of the year, where we consciously seek closeness to nature and the season. The Ancient Celtic Church has a repertoire of rituals and activities that everyone can practise for themselves or in a group. More
Prayers and healing rituals
In sickness we address our word to God and pray for help and assistance, whether in personal supplication, in invocation of saints, e.g. one of the fourteen emergency helpers, through intercession in church services or through dedicated healing services which our church conducts at the request of sufferers and relatives.
Pastoral care
Our priests and clergy care for their parishioners and stay in contact with them, if necessary also via electronic media. Upon request, we administer the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, confession and anointing of the sick.
Healing through the laying on of hands
Jesus healed through the laying on of hands. We still do this unconsciously today when we assist a crying child. This kind of healing consists of human attention and the channelling of healing energies. The Japanese term Reiki, which means divine and universal life energy, has come into use for this kind of healing. Our church has developed a method for this which we call Celtic Cross Reiki.
Retrieval of soul parts
Soul Retrieval is a method used by indigenous healers. It is based on the assumption that we can lose certain soul parts during traumatic experiences. Some of these soul parts have a connection with the elements air, water, earth, fire and space. By connecting with these elements, be it in nature or within, we manage to reactivate these soul parts. Another form of soul retrieval is through healing stories, for example that of the Holy Grail. Working with the elements and healing stories is part of the cultural heritage of the Celtic tradition. We teach these methods as help for self-help.
Dealing with demons
The term demon at first causes shock and maybe even shaking of the head. Jesus very often healed by casting out demons. Psychoanalysts like Carl Gustav Jung understand very well that a mental disorder sometimes behaves like an entity of its own and should be treated as such. Demons are what are called dysfunctional thinking disorders in cognitive behavioural therapy and complexes in psychoanalysis. As the Celtic Church, we are in the tradition of the Desert Fathers. From Evagrius Ponticus comes the doctrine of eight vices. Behind each of these eight vices, the Desert Fathers suspected a particular demon, i.e. a problematic way of thinking. Fear and depression can also be caused by the vices. The vices prevented the Desert Fathers from pure prayer, a state we know today from meditation. They developed a very good understanding of these thought disorders and also methods to cope with them. They have nothing in common with the casting out of demons that we know from Hollywood films. They are intelligent and unspectacular approaches, some of which are also used in psychotherapy. Experienced priests and Anam Cara of our church can help them to gently face their demons. In clinically relevant cases, however, we naturally recommend seeing a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.
Anointing of the sick
The Anointing of the Sick is on the one hand a spiritual medicine, but it also contains potent medicinal ingredients, such as frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, calamus and cassia dissolved in olive oil. According to recent findings, anointing oil has also contained cannabis. All of these substances have medicinal properties. Frankincense has anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant effects; and is used in India to treat asthma. In the Ancient Celtic Church, we understand that anointing the sick works on the body and the spirit.
